Improvement in harvesters



UNITED 4STATES PATENT OFFICE.

J. YV. PRENTISS AND E. M. BIRDSALL, OF PENN YAN, NEW YORK.

INI'PROVEM ENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,225, dated June 2l, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J. W. PRENTISS and EM. BIRDSALL, ot' Penn Yau, in the county of Yates and tate of New. York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain and Grass Harvesters; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure lis a front view ot a harvester, a portion of which is in section, as indicated by the line @c Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan or top view ot' the same; Fig. 3, a vertical section of a portion of the same taken in the line yy, Fig. l, Fig'. 4, a vertical7 section of' a portion ot' the same, taken in the line z z, Fig. l; Fig. 5, a

vertical section of a portion of the same, taken in the line w .10', Fig. 2.

Similar letters ot' reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invention relates, rst, to a novel and improved cutting device, the same consisting ot two reciprocating cutters, placed one above the other -and working in opposite directions and through slotted tin gers provided each with a tongue, against which both the cutters act, 'the tongues being between the two cutters, and all arranged in such a manner as to admit of a short stroke and rapid movementof the cutters with a very moderate application or expenditure ot' power, thereby insuring the work being done in a perfect manner and without the liability of the cutting device becoming choked or clogged.

Theinvention relates7 second, to an improved means employed for operating or driving the two cutters, which means consists of a rack at the inner end of each cutter and a vibrating toothed segment placed between the two racks of the cutters and gearing'into the former, all being arranged in such a manner as to cause the necessary motion to be transmitted from the driving-shaft to the cutters in a very direct manner and with but little friction.

The invention relates, third, to a novel and improved means for connecting and disconnectingthetraction-wheels ot'themachine with thesickle-driving mechanism, whereby the connection and disconnection above specied may be made with the greatest facility and without subjecting any of the gears and working parts of the machine to the wear and tearV hitherto consequent on such manipulation.

The invention consists, fourth, in an iinproved mode ot' hanging the axle of the traction-wheels ot' the machine, as well as the driving shaft thereof, whereby all warping or springing ofthe frame ofthe machine is compensated for, and the working` parts .allowed to operate equally as well if the frame shouldv warp or spring-a contingency of not unt'xequent occurrenceas if it retained its proper shape.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct our invention, we will proceed to describe it.

A represents the frame of the machine, ot rectangular form, and mounted on the two wheels B B', ot' equal diameter.

C represents the cutter-bar, the inner end of which is attached `to a socket, D, composed'of a horizontal bar, a, with an upright portion, b, at each end and acap,c, secured to thcirnpperends. rI his socket D hasan arm, E, projecting from its front side at right angles, said arm havin g a wheel, F, at its front end, which serves as a guide and a support for the cutter-bar, retaiuing the latter in a proper relative position with the earth and enabling the cutter-bar to rise and tall at its front edge tocorrespond to the inequalities of surface over which it may pass.

To the inner side of the socket D there is attached by a joint, d, one end of a rod, G, the opposite end ot' the latter being attached by a joint, e, to the left-hand side of the frame A at its back end, as shown clearly in Figfl. This arrangement admits of the cutter-bar rising and falling bodily, or at either end, to suit the surface oi the ground over which it may pass. This feature, however, is equivalent to the double joint, as seen in the harvesting-ma chine generally known as the Buckeye.

H represents fingers, which are attached to the cutter-bar (J, and are each provided with two longitudinal slots, ff, so as to form a central tongue, y, as shown clearly in Fig.. 5.

I l` are two cutters, which are constructed with the ordinary V-shaped teeth and wolk one above the other. The upper cutter, I, has its teeth It working in the upper slotsfof the fingers H, and the teeth of the lowerI cutter work in the lower slots f of the ngers, the

tongues g being between the teeth of the two cutters. The teeth of the upper cutter, I, are beveled on their upper surfaces, while the teeth ofthe lower'cutter are beveled on their lower surfaces, the cutting-edges of the teeth of both cutters working over the central tongues, g. These two cutters have a recipro eating motion and work simultaneouslyin opposite directions, the teeth of each cutter Work.

ing from the center of one finger to the center ofthe one immediately adjoining. The cutters are operated by means of a vibrating doublegeared segment, J, the shaft t of which is f1t- `ted vertically in the' socket D. This segment .l gears into racksj, which are formed at the inner ends of the bars 7c k, to which the teeth of the cutters are attached, the segment J being provided at each end with a lip or iiange, l, which retain or hold the bars 7c down upon the cutterbar (l. (See Fig. 4.)

The segment J is `vibrated by having an arm, m, which is attached to the upper end 0f the shaft t', connected to a pitman, K, by means of a halland-socket joint, the ball n being at the end of the arm m, and the socket o being in the end of the pitman K. (See Fig. 4.) This pitman K is connected to a crank-pulley, L, on a shaft, M, the bearings N Not' which are at the under side of the frame A, the shaft M having a pinion, O, at one end, which gears into a wheel, P, on the axle Q of the-wheels B B. By means of this arrangement of the two cutters I l and the double-slotted fingers H, with a central tongue, g, between the teeth ofthe two cutters, weare enabled 'to get up a rapid motion of the cutters with a very moderrate expenditure of power, and without the liability ofhaving the cutters choked or cloggeda contingency of frequent occurrence With the ordinary single cutters. The central tongues, g, insure a clean, smooth cut, and in connection with the two cutters form, it ls believed,

a very simple and perfect cutting device for harvesters.

-By operating` the cutters I I' through the medium of the-double vibrating geared segment. J and racksjj Very little friction is produced, and the parts are not liable to get out of repair or become deranged by use. By having the arm m of the shaft tofv the vibrating segment J connected to the pitman K by a-ball-and-socltet joint, as shown, the segment J may be operated under the rising and falling ot' the cutter-bar with the least possible amount offriction, said joint compensating for the varying relative positions of the arm m and pitman K.

To the front end of the socket D there is secured by ajoint, p, the lbaci; end of a rod, R,

the front end of which is connected byajoint, q, to the left-hand side of the front part ofthe frame A. This rod R retains or holds the cutter-bar, preserving it from any strain under the draft movement of the machine, and at the same time servingto greatly diminish side draft.

The wheels B B are placed loosely on their axle Q, and the wheel P, into which the pinion O gears, is toothed at the inner side or edge of its periphery. This wheel P is not fitted directly on the axle Q, but is placed loosely on a clutch, S, on the axle, which clutch, when shoved outward or toward the wheel B, engages with the hub of the latter and connects itwith the axle, the clutch S being allowed to slide through the Wheel l?, but the latter being connected with the former, so as to turn with it at all times. A similar clutch, T, also connects the other wheel, B', to the axle Q, and these clutches are operatedv simultaneously by means of rods r r, connected `with a lever, U. By thisarrangement the wheels B B may be readily connected with land disconnected from the axle and the cutterdriving mechanism thrown in and out of gear with the greatest facility and without any injury to the working parts of the machine, as is frequently the case when a pinion-'for instance, like O-is thrown in and out of gear with a wheel corresponding'to P.

The axle Q of the wheels B B is litted in bearings V V, which are suspended between pivots s s, the latter passing horizontally through upright-s t, attached to the frame A. (See inore particularly Fig. 3.) This arrangement admits of the bearings adjusting them.

selves in line with the axle in case of the springing or winding ot' the frame A-a contingency of frequent occurrence. The shaft M is placed or hung in similar bearings, N.

AHaving thus described ourinvention,what We claim as new, vand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- A 1. The combination of the two reciprocating cutters l I', both acting against central tongues, g, placed between them in the lingers H, as herein shown and described.

'2. Operating `the cutters I I through the medium of the double-geared vibrating segmentJ and the racks jj on the bars lo lc of the cutters I l', substantially as described.

3. The wheel AP, placed on the clutch lS, which is fitted on the axle Q, and arranged, as

shown, with or without clutch T, for throwing the cutter-driving mechanism in and out of 

